Ordinary People Chapter 5 Summary

How It All Goes Down

  • Conrad visits his new therapist: T. C. Berger, M.D. That's a lot of initials.
  • Berger's office is a mess, and he seems exceptionally scatterbrained.
  • During this initial therapy sesh, Conrad reveals that he slit his wrists with a Platinum-Plus razor.
  • Berger asks Conrad what he wants to change, besides the whole no-more-suicide thing.
  • Conrad wants to be more in control of his life.
  • Berger says he isn't big on control, but they should still continue their sessions, twice a week.
  • That means Conrad has to skip swim practice twice a week, but he's fine with that. He'd rather swim through the murky depths of his mind.